Combination clothesline and fastening device



Sept. 2, 1952 P. WEAVER COMBINATION CLOTHESLINE AND FASTENING DEVICE- Filed May 29, 1950' INVEN TOR. Paa/ Wen er 4 from 5K Patented Sept. 2, i952 COMBINATION CLOTHESLINE AND FASTENING DEVICE Paul Weaver, Chico, Calif., assignor to E. W. Fawkes, Chico, Calif.

, Application May 29, 1950, Serial No. 164,992

3 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to structure usable inconnection with the laundry and has .to do specifically with clothesline construction, the primary object being to provide a novel ,clothespin-like deviceior holding the clothing in a condition for drying and having readily releasable means forming a part thereof.

,It is the most important object of the present inventionto provide clothespin construction including an-L-shaped-support having a resilient loop reciprocably mounted thereon for movement to and from a position clamping fabric material between; the loop and the support and releasably holding the same in a suspended condition for drying.

Anotherimportant object of the present invention is to provide .clothespinconstruction including a loop of resilient material that has one leg thereof reciprocably mounted in an opening formed in its support and so shaped as to present a snap-action when the same is moved arranged in a row upon an elongated support, there being a plurality of such assemblies that are in turn secured to a pair of spaced-apart, continuous chains or the like permitting movement of; the assemblies to and from a given position for permitting placing of the clothes .upon the line andremoval thereof.

,. Other objects of the present invention include the way in which the loopsare each provided with finger-receiving ends to facilitate moving of the loops to and from an operative position; the way in which the supports for the loops are provided with a bead cooperable with the loops in holding the clothing clamped in place; the ,manner of producing the loop and finger control I means'from a single length of wire-like material; and many more minor objects including details .of construction, all of which will be made clear .orbecome apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a combination clothesline and fastening device made in accordance withmy present invention.

' by a cross member 56.

2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line'II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is. a detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1.

v 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view or one of the fasteningdevicesper se. f

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing'the opposite side thereof; and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on lin VI-VI of Fig. 5.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is illustrated a pair of spaced-apart endless chains/I0 and I2, trained about sprocket wheels I4, there being a pair of sprocket wheels I4 on each end respectively of a pair of spaced-apart parallel shafts l6 and [8. A bearing 20 on each end of each shaft l6 and [8 respectively, is supported by a post 22. Av plurality of elongated supports 24, spans the distance between the endless chains it and 12 in spaced-apart, parallel relationship as illustrated in- Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The supports 24 are L-shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, presenting a horizontal flange 26 and a vertical flange 2B. The ends of each support 24 are secured to the proximal end- ,less chains It or [2 as the case may be, through the medium of a laterally extending link 30 and bolt and nut assemblies 32 interconnecting supports 24 and links 30.

Ahead 34 on the innermost face of the flange 28 adjacent the lowermost edge thereof and in underlying relationship to the flange 26, extends the full length of the support 24. Each support 24 has mounted thereon a plurality of clothes supporting loop constructions of identical nature and broadly designated by the numeral 36. Loop constructions 36 are made from a single length of wire or the like, each including a pair of spaced-apart loops 38 having a bight lfland a pair of legs 42 and 44.

Flange 26 of support 25, is provided with .a notch 46 for each loop construction 36 respectively, having a pair of branches 48 for receiving the legs 42 of the two loops 38. as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The two legs 42 of loops 38 extend upwardly beyond the uppermost face of flange 26 in substantial parallelism and are joined at the uppermost ends thereof by a crossmember 50. The uppermost ends of the legs 44 of the two loops 38 are rebent as at 52. and

extend downwardly in a length 54, the two lengths 54 being joined at the lowermost end thereof As illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the

' two legs, 44 of loops 38 converge asthe bightsAlJ thereof are approached and likewise, the lengths 54 converge as the, cross member 56 thereof,"is

approached.

Fig. 3 of the drawing illustrates the way in which the loops 38 arein partial encompassing relationship to the support 24, legs 44 thereof extending upwardly along the outermostface oi the flange 28 and being in parallelism therewith when the loops 38 are in the operative position illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 also illustrates the way in which the flange 28 is disposed between the legs 42 and 44 of the loops 38 and the manner of holding a fabric garment or. the like 58 in place and in clamping relationship between the loops 38 and the support 24. The fabric material 58 is looped over the rebent portions 52 and thence extends downwardly along the legs 44 of the loops 38 between flange 28 and legs 44. 68 is then looped beneath the lowermost free edge of the flange 28 and extends upwardly around the bead 34 thereof. It is noted in Fig. 3 of the drawing that the fabric is clamped into place between the lowermost edge of flange 28 and the bights 40 of loops 38 and is also clamped into place between bead 34 and legs 42 of loops '38? The uppermost ends of the legs 44 of the loops 38 projecting above the uppermost face of" flange 28, extend inwardly toward proximal legs 42, the distance between the uppermost ends "ofthe legs 44 and correspanding legs 42- being less than the distance between branches 48 of notch 46 and the opposite edge of flange 26. Accordingly, as the loops 38 are moved to and from an operative position as shown by full lines in'Fi'g. 3, loops 38 snap into place with respect to thesupport 24. Furthermore, as the loops '38 are moved to and from the operative position, the legs 42 thereof slide vertically within the branches 48 of notch 46. It is to be preferred that the entire construction 36 bemade from resilient material'whereby the fabric 58 is yieldably clamped into place with respect to the support. Movement of the assemblies 36 to and from an operative position is accomplished through use of the cross members 50 and 56 respectively. In order to release the garment 58 from its'clamped position illustrated in Fig. 3

'of' the garment 58 is permitted to fall into .the

bights 40 to assure an adequate clamp thereof at the bead 3'4 when'theassembly 36 is moved upwardly to the operative position. In this last mentioned movement, the operator grasps the cross member 50 and pulls upwardly thereon,

carrying the garment 58'therewith and as the garment '58 comes intocontact'with the support 24, it'will be clamped in place automatically as the legs 44 snap into place upon support '24.

It'is to be appreciated that the garments can be" quickly and easily placed into a supporting relationship with respect'to the assemblies 36 and their cooperating supports 24 by grasping the cross member 50 and pulling'upwardly thereon.

'Conversely,,when it is desired to release'the garments 58; the operator may hold the same in one hand while pulling downwardly'upon all of the assemblies'36 at cross portion 56 thereof."

As. above stated, there is a plurality of the assemblies 36'on each, of the number of supports Q24and the length of thelatter may bevaried to. suit the desires of the user. It is contemplated that relatively long garments may be hung upon Fabric material each support 24 below the chains I0 and I2 and that the assemblies 36 of each support 24, will cooperate in supporting relatively long fabric articles such as sheets, blankets, rugs and the like.

In order to permit hanging of the clothing and removal thereof from the supports 24 at a.

given'location, a crank 60" is" provided for shaft l8, manipulation whereof imparts rotative movement to shaft 18 and actuates the continuous chains I 0 and I2. The assemblies 24-36 can thereupon bemoved to and from a position adjacent HQ shaft l8 and as each support 24 is filled with. garments, the same can be progressively moved toward the shaft I6 until the entire clothesline assembly is filled. Likewise, in removing the clothing from the clothesline, the operator reverses the direction of movement of the chains I0 and I2 and as the garments are removed from the supports 24, they are in turn moved to a position along the uppermost stretch of the chains [0 and I2 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Through use of the .constructionhereof; the need for a pluralityof separate clothespins. as is presently the universal practice, is entirely eliminated. The pins which constitute assemblies 36 are left upon the supports 24 but'ican'be individually removed therefrom by merely springing legs 42 together, whereby the:samema'y' be taken'from the branches and pulled outwardly with respect to notch 46. Furthermore, it isto be seen that the clamping action providedvfor by the 1oops 36 in cooperation with the supports-124 and the beads 34 thereon, provides an effective holding means for the garments that is-appreciably more positive than that made possible through use of conventional clothespins; By mounting all of theassemblies 46' on elongated supports 24, relatively long garments may be irrdividually hung and by'shiftably mounting j the supports 24 and the assemblies 36- thereon through use of chains IO'an'd l2, the laundress may conveniently place the clothing upon the lines and remove the same whileremaining in one position'adjacent the'crank 60.

It is-manifest that many details of construction maybe varied and it is therefore, desired'to be limited only by" the spirit'of the inventiona's defined by thescope of the'appended'claims:

Having thus described-the invention, what is claimed asnew and'desired to be-secured by-Letters Patent is: I

1. A clothespin assemblycomprising anelongated support having a pair of'flanges in angular relation, one of the flanges'beingperforated: a resilient p embracing the support and'having one leg thereof slidably mounted in the'perfor'ation of said one flange and the other leg adjacent the other flange; and a head on the'oth'e'r flange, said bead being disposed within the bight of said loop for holding a fabric article clamped in place against the loop'when the latteris in' an article holding position.

2; A clothespin assembly-comprising anelongated support having a' pair of fiangesin angular relation, one of the flanges 'beingperforatedj a resilient loop embracing the'support' and having on leg thereof slidably mounted-in the-perforation of said one flangeandthe other'le'g'adjaarticle holding position, the'distance betweenthe legs of the loop being less'th'anzthe width of said one flange whereby the'loop snaps into place on the support when shifted to said article holding REFERENCES CITED i The following references are of record in the 3. A clothespin assembly comprising an elonme of this patent:

gated support having a pair of flanges in angular relation; a resilient loop embracing the support 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS and having one leg thereof slidably engaging one Number Name Date 01 the flanges and the other leg thereof adjacent 2,219,392 Jorgensen Oct. 29, 1940 the other flange; and a bead on the other flange, 2,519,398 Read Aug. 22, 1950 said head being disposed within the bight of sai 2,527,674 Cold Oct. 31, 1950 loop for holding a fabric article clamped in place 10 2,527,713 Dunn Oct. 31, 1950 against the loop when the latter is in an article holding position; the distance between the legs of the loop being less than the width of said one flange whereby the loop snaps into place on the support when shifted to said article holding posi- 15 tion.

PAUL WEAVER. 

